The present invention relates generally to a rigid structural device, generally referred to herein as a utility portal, that can replace a removed or omitted section of the top framing plate or bottom framing plate of a wall construction, and that will permit the passage therethrough of electrical, plumbing utilities, and/or HVAC without the necessity of drilling holes in the conventional wooden top framing plates which can destroy the integral strength of the wall. Wall constructions generally include a number of elements that form an underlying frame, including a plurality of studs that extend vertically in spaced parallel relation, and a top plate that extends across the upper ends of the studs at the top of the wall construction and a bottom plate that extends across the bottom ends of the studs at the bottom of the wall construction. Since the utility portal of the present invention works equally well with either a top plate or a bottom plate of a wall construction, the term “framing member” will be used herein to define generically either a top plate or a bottom plate, unless otherwise indicated.
In typical wall constructions, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 1, it is common practice to have one or more framing members B (e.g. two top plates and one bottom plate) which are made of wood or metal and which extend over, under, and between adjacent pairs of studs A, which are typically made of wood or metal, that are spaced from one another. In such wall constructions, at least some of the framing members B must permit the passage therethrough of electrical utilities (e.g. wires and conduits), plumbing utilities (e.g. pipes), and HVAC utilities (e.g. hose and conduits) that extent upwardly and downwardly between the studs and generally parallel thereto, and it is therefore common practice to drill a large number of holes C in the framing members B to permit the electrical utilities, plumbing utilities, and/or HVAC utilities to pass through the holes. However, drilling or sawing a large number of holes C in the framing members B requires the use of drills and/or other equipment, and it is obviously a very labor intensive, and therefore expensive, process. More importantly, perhaps, the structural integrity of the wall construction is adversely affected by drilling numerous and sizable holes C in the framing members to permit the passage of the electrical wires, cables and conduits, and the like. In some cases, the structural integrity of the wall is adversely affected to the point where a portion of the wall becomes structurally defective or useless.
To offset the weakening effect of the holes drilled or otherwise formed in conventional top and bottom framing plates, it is common practice to attach metal straps D (one of which is illustrated in FIG. 1) to the sides of the framing members B to provide strength at the point where the drilled holes are found, and while this arrangement currently satisfies code requirements, it is still somewhat lacking in strength and stability, and it is also adds to the time and labor requirements as set forth above.